


The Broken Wolf

by luvinreallife



Category: Apex Legends (Video Games)
Genre: Apex Legends, Apex Legends Quest: The Broken Ghost, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Pre-Relationship, Vomiting, i love them, lobalore
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-08
Updated: 2020-09-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:14:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26355556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/luvinreallife/pseuds/luvinreallife
Summary: Set after Chapter 9 of The Broken Ghost quest.Based on: a meme i saw about “character a falls asleep in b’s bed and says it was the best sleep they’ve had in weeks” so i literally word vomited like 1500 words to have this one sceneAlso inkynix wrote a beautiful fic about what happens after their convo in “Aftermath” and i loved it a lot so that inspired this too bc i 100% believe she was like sick from shock this day so yeah❤️
Relationships: Loba Andrade/Bangalore | Anita Williams
Comments: 4
Kudos: 36





	The Broken Wolf

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Fangirlspectrum](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fangirlspectrum/gifts).



> For fangirlspectrum: i love you queen, thank you for supporting me and i love that we singlehandedly fund the lobalore fandom  
> Also sorry the end is lame i wrote this at 1 am and i wanted to post it before i went to sleep

****

“What are you going to do?” 

The question open as day yet Loba feels suffocated trying to produce an answer. The world around them is dark; the night young by standards of partygoers, but the moon producing little illumination against the black sky. Nature surrounding the pair seems still, so still that the only sound Loba hears is her own labored breathing as she struggles to use her voice. 

“For the first time in a long time...” she tries to swallow past the lump that had found its way to her throat. 

“I don’t have a clue.” Loba admits reluctantly, starting to feel panicked and emotional. As she struggles more to calm herself, the constricting feeling in her chest goes from ignorable to so critical she’s wondering with each breath which will be her last. 

On the outside, her presentation is fine (since the last time she checked); a little haggard perhaps, but overall could probably pass as normal. However, on the inside, Loba is a whirlwind of emotions and chemical reactions; her body desperately scrambling to revert back to its ordinary balance previously maintained before the fuckery brought out by the demonio finding out her plan. 

Anita studies Loba under the pale moonlight. She looks like she’s been hit by a freight train. Looking more than exhausted- concealer can only help so much- and rather unkempt for her customary gold standard appearance; baby hairs more untamed than ever, refusing to stay put in braids, her eye makeup smudged beyond recognition. The thief’s picture perfect charade crumbles before Anita’s very eyes, yet even in her current trembling and frayed state, Loba was still the most elegant thing Anita’s ever beheld.

The custom P2020 that had been held onto like a lifeline fell from Loba’s shaking grasp, giving the Sergeant a test on her reflexes as she moves to catch it. Tears start falling from the baby browns, accompanied by distraught efforts of self preservation, carefully wiping her own tears after holding them in was unsuccessful. 

Still sharp as ever, Anita congratulates herself. A lecture on gun safety almost finds its way past her lips when she stands to meet the baby browns, but falls short upon noticing the distinct difference in her color and the tears flooding down her face. She’s crying but not making a peep. Her skin a sickly ashen; Bang is unable to get a word in before Loba turns around to throw up an alarmingly scanty amount of stomach content. Anita learns her “braid retrieving” skills are sharp too, pulling the two plaits into her grasp to save them from being vomit colored. An unsteady apology slips out, causing Anita to shush her while rubbing her back steadily. 

The soldier helps support her as she crumpled to the ground hyperventilating. She was streaming tears, the only audible sound was choked breaths. 

“Hey, take it easy,” Anita pleads quietly, continuing the gentle circular motions encompassing each quivering muscle of the woman’s back. She knows if Loba doesn’t steady her breathing, it will make her throw up again. “...make yourself sick again.” The words are cutting out, Loba only hearing half of what she says, but does notice Sergeant’s voice being a hair too desperate to validate the careless act she’s been putting on.

Anita couldn’t tell if Loba was registering what she was saying; the thief’s shock appearing impenetrable as she gasps for air, saliva pooling in her mouth before she coughs then gags and repeats. Anita cringes internally at the irony while Loba keeps sobbing completely silently. Seeing this well-put together, high societal woman look so broken was.. a sight, to say the least. Quite a sad sight, as this poor beautiful woman deserves none of what she’s been dealt. Even if she is a frustratingly slick criminal, the hushed weeping is unmerited and the sound leaves the older woman feeling somewhere between unsettled and concerned. 

****

After a while of sitting together practicing deep breathing, Loba calms enough to stop crying, but is still trembling slightly and appears rather shaken up. 

“Come back to my place.” Anita doesn’t remember planning to say that, but is glad she did when Loba smiles the tiniest bit, looking the most hopeful she’d seen her since her arrival. 

“I can’t ask that of you. You don’t have to help me, you know-“ 

“Enough.” Bang cuts her off to ask, “Think you can stand?” 

Loba nods, though she’s not sure of the true answer, and slowly stands with the help of Anita, of course. Her legs feel ready to give out at any moment, and Bangalore must be more observant than she thought because the taller woman picks her up bridal style and carries her without a word. 

The walk to Anita’s was quiet, Loba’s eyes closed as her head rests against Anita’s chest. The rhythm of her footsteps soothes Loba like a mother’s lullaby to her baby. 

****

Eventually she ends up in a bed, not remembering exactly how she got there, but not caring enough to ask. A part of her wonders why she trusts this woman she barely knows, this woman who was telling her “Suit yourself. Its your funeral.” only a few days ago. But the majority of Loba just feels overwhelmed and overtired, her eyes fluttering closed. 

“I can’t just lay here.” Loba mutters hoarsely, her sleepy tone thoroughly contradicting. “He’ll come back.” 

“Go to sleep. I got my eye out.” Anita says matter-of-factly while scooting a chair by the bedside. 

“And when you fall asleep?” Loba cracks an eye open to assure Anita she is not buying this confident tone. 

“I won’t.” The no-nonsense officer aims to sound exasperated, annoyed even, but ultimately fails as the words come out fondly. “Get some sleep, ok? Sim ain’t gonna do shit while I’m here.” 

The statement itself was true; that robot son of a bitch was getting to Loba over Officer Williams’ dead body. Loba’s face is painted with distrust until Anita sits on the bed next to her. Immediately Loba turns backside toward the soldier, who lays a hand on her back with endearing strokes, a familiar action from the earlier meltdown. She left her hand there, only removing it when she thought the other woman was sleeping. 

A throaty noise came from Loba shortly before she spoke up. “What are you doing?” 

A small smile came to Anita’s face. “Nothing.” 

“I... ugh. Never mind.” Her voice barely audible, weak from crying and vomiting but also muffled by a pillow. 

“What is it, Andrade?” 

“I.. I didn’t ask you to stop.” 

Oh, so that’s what this is about. Bang never would have imagined the criminal to be so tactile, and wonders if she will ever hear Loba’s voice sound that (adorably) timid again. The smile that was small a second ago now a fully blossomed grin as she resumes her previous hand motions. 

Anita’s loving touch is eventually enough to lull the unwell woman into a state of somnolence. 

She stops the petting a short while after she was absolutely sure Loba drifted off. She begins fighting this overwhelming urge to lay down with that infuriatingly stunning lawbreaker, to hold her close and whisper sweet reassuring nothings in her ear until she feels safe.

The “urge” itself is strange indeed, considering that Sergeant told Gibby this thief is “trouble” and wanted her gone only a few hours ago. Now the same trouble laying in Anita’s bed and looking irritatingly and breathtakingly soft while doing so. 

What is also strange is that Anita can’t take her eyes off Loba’s sleeping form. Her mind instantly attempting a weak justification for these feelings: Loba looks like she needs the rest and God knows she deserves it; the woman’s been through hell. 

Sure, it was convincing... To an extent. 

But there’s something more to it, she feels it. 

And who is she trying to fool? 

There is something about Loba that is special, undeniably special. She just can’t put her finger on exactly what could be so charming about a thief. A “two bit” thief, Anita recalls calling her after the initial meeting in the Paradise Lounge’s bathroom. The memory bringing a sour taste to her mouth, and makes her think she might die if that comment ever got back to Loba. She shakes her head in attempt to clear her thoughts as if it would help; worring the action will get repetitive being alone with her thoughts all night watching for the goddamn sim. The realization of how long this night will be hits her as she sits in the chair, her own gun on her lap and Loba’s on the nightstand beside her. 

****

The night is thankfully uneventful, no simulacrums in sight, no thief stirring from slumber. Anita keeps her promise of keeping watch even though she’s grown tired by daybreak. 

By 10 am, however, the soldier is barely able to keep her eyes open. Fortunately, Loba wakes not long after. 

She watches the woman rouse and sit up, looking alarmed until seeing Anita still sat in the chair, armed and ready. 

“Don’t tell me you sat there all night.” 

Anita couldn’t help but smile, “That how thieves say thank you?” 

“I can’t remember the last time I slept so... soundly...” Loba admits, eyes soft and vulnerable as they look anywhere but Anita. Wow, are these walls bare. The soldier opens her mouth to respond and closes it when she sees the yearning look on Loba’s face, like she wants to say more but can’t find the words. 

“Thank you. Kind of you to have my back.” She finishes, looking to Anita, finally letting their eyes meet, Anita sees the light pink dusting her cheeks. 

“Don’t mention it. You deserve the rest. This was the least I could do.” Now Anita’s own face felt a bit hot. “We got off on the wrong foot.” 

Unspoken: I’m sorry. 

“Thank you, Sergeant.” She says, somewhat emphasizing the title. “I do hope some day we’ll get on the right one.”

“That’ll be a cold day in hell.” A playful smirk settles on Bangalore’s face. 

“Maybe the day you’ll be General, then?” Loba replied innocently, tilting her head to punctuate her end of the banter. 

Ouch. Loba must have seen how pissed that made Anita the first day they met. 

**

“And obviously, we’d fail miserably without the guidance and leadership of our general, Bangalore.” Loba’s silky voice echos against the tile of the bathroom. 

“Sergeant 1st Class will be fine, Loba. Not a general yet.” Anita replies, trying to keep her cool in front of the other Legends. 

“Of course you aren’t.” Loba bites.

** 

Funny how that was not even very long ago. 

Funny how different her opinion of Loba is now than it was that night. 

Loba’s unwavering stare pulled her back to the present. She wanted to be mad, but honestly knew she walked into that one. Anita rolls her eyes and laughed softly as they both stand. 

****

Unexpectedly, the two spend nearly the whole day together. Oddly enough, they have more in common than either originally thought. 

Who knew a soldier and a thief could get along so well? So effortlessly? The chemistry is natural and not one moment spent together is dull. 

Also unbeknownst to the pair: that this day would be the first of many in a comfortable routine they grow to love and treasure.


End file.
